Vehicles are designed to absorb impacts with energy-absorbing areas and/or partial deformation so as to provide occupants with relatively greater protection. Frame members are often connected with each other via frame joints, such that one or more of the frame members may be disengaged as needed and desirable during a collision event.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,500,191 discloses a breakable connector for a vehicle, including a clearance space defined in front of a frame joint such that the breakable connector may break into the clearance space when the sub-frame is subjected to a front end impact to reduce impact.